IDN TAKE: What Is Norway's Former PM Doing In Kashmir; Why The Govt Allowed This?

Even a fifth-class student in India will confirm that most of ex top Neta’s of Norway are anti India and they have a habit of unnecessarily indulging in other countries affairs. In 2005 they tried to do this is Sri Lanka but did not succeed. Shail Magne Bondevik ,the ex PM of Norway who remitted his office in 2006, after completing his two tenures, and who has opened Oslo Centre for Peace and Human Rights in 2006 on the lines of American President Jimmy Crater institute Peace Centre, was allowed by Modi Government to visit Kashmir Valley, meet Hurriyat leaders like Geelani, Umar Farook and Yasin Mallick, Kashmir high Court Bar Association and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce people, then he went to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir met Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Pakistani POK president Mehmood Khan . After all, what is so special in this fellow Magne that he is allowed to roam about freely in Kashmir without any checks and balances?

Mr Shail Magne, after return back to Norway said that this tour of his was made possible by Sri Sri Ravishankar. Who is Sri Sri Ravishankar? basically a spiritual guru? to indulge in Kashmir affairs and India’s foreign policy? This visit of Bondevik to Kashmir and POK has made Pakistan really happy. Pakistani leaders since time immemorial have been trying to internationalise the Kashmir issue. They have been requesting US to act as Third Umpire. However due to international Shimla Agreement of 1972, they have no option but to solve the Kashmir problem bilaterally. Mr Bondevik claims that when he met Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi in POK, in course of this visit, he emphasised that Kashmir Issue should be the first agenda in international world considerations. On Kashmir issue Bondevik while praising India that it is ready to talk with Pakistan bilaterally, also said that while deciding Kashmir issue the UN Resolution of 1948 and the current human rights violations in Kashmir valley should also be taken into account. He also said that talks should be held between Hurriyat, Pakistan and India in a tripartite manner. This is exactly what Pakistan, its stooge Hurriyat wants and India does not want? In any case who is Hurriyat? an unelected body of separatists in Kashmir Valley and Pakistani stooge getting paid from Pakistan. We in India should not forget that the UN resolution on Kashmir is dead now, despite Pakistani efforts to revive it. The last meeting on this resolution was held in UN in 1965, after that none despite Pakistani rantings on it till date.

Is it not funny that in last 71 years since independence, while we Indians have been shouting from the roof tops that Kashmir is integral part of India, and we are right also because the document of accession signed by Maharaja of Kashmir in October 1947 says so, and he had full right to join India or Pakistan, but while we have been involved in Article 35A and Article 370 that allows J&K state to preserve its identity separate from India, Pakistan which illegally occupied POK and Gilgit-Baltistan by Force, not only changed the entire demography of POK and Gilgit-Baltistan by bringing Punjabi Muslims from mainland Pakistan and settling them down in these areas, there are also reports that Pakistan will soon make POK and Gilgit-Baltistan as their fifth province.

Nehru having made the initial blunder of taking Kashmir issue to UN against the advice of Indian Army, who were winning and Pakistanis were on the run, imposed Article 35A, and 370 as self-inflicted injury. then started our stupidity of trying to win hearts and minds of these heartless people of Kashmir Valley by meeting all their demands and pumping in Kashmir Valley Indian tax payer’s money instead of developing the two other regions of J&K , Jammu and Ladakh concurrently. Till date Indian Governments at Delhi have not been able to make up their minds whether J&K belongs to India or not? If it belongs to India as these Neta’s keep on shouting, then why are they allowing this stupidity of Article 35 A and Article 370 to continue? Why can they not apply another notch to their dhotis and firmly make J&K as fully part of India as Pakistan has done in POK. To hell with world opinion, in any case now every body knows that the trouble creator in Kashmir Valley is Pakistan and it stands isolated. India should divide J&K state into three administrative units, Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh. Let each of these administrative units have their self-Governments and decide their own fate. If people of Kashmir Valley fail to understand that Azadi or joining Pakistan is no option then declare martial law in Kashmir Valley and let Army run the show as provided in Constitution.

Why do we treat this Hurriyat, an unelected body as representative of Kashmir Valley people, with kid gloves.? It is common knowledge that they are Pakistani stooges being paid also from Pakistan and living life of comfort in Kashmir Valley. Why are they not arrested on charges of treason, their all properties attached and they put in Tihar Jail for life. Why our Neta’s of all hues are afraid of taking strong action against these Kashmir Valley people. In Xinxiang province of China, where one corer Muslims reside and they also want Azadi, China has put one million Muslims in their detention camps to brain wash them. No Muslim in Xinxiang province is allowed to keep Holy Quran at home. Now every Muslim home must accommodate a Han Chinese as guest. Still Pakistan a staunch Sunni Muslim country is Chinese best friend and the 50 Muslim countries of OIC sing panes of China. This is because China, which got independence two years later then us, is a major military and economic power. If India wants to be heard in comity of nations it must go all out to make itself a major military and economic power. Take bold steps within country and outside and always keep its national interest first. World listens to those who are prepared to take bold and decisive decisions and then implement them.

Brig Arun Bajpai (Retd) is a distinguished Defence and Strategic Analyst. Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of IDN. IDN does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same